Finding the optimal location and allocation of relay robots for building a rapid end-to-end wireless communication

Abstract

This paper addresses the fundamental problem of finding an optimal location and allocation of relay robots to establish an immediate end-to-end wireless communication in an inaccessible or dangerous area. We first formulate an end-to-end communication problem in a general optimization form with constraints for the operation of robots and antenna performance. Specifically, the constraints on the propagation of radio signals and infeasible locations of robots within physical obstacles are considered in case of a dense space. In order to solve the formulated problem, we present two optimization techniques such as Genetic Algorithm (GA) and Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO). Finally, the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed methods are demonstrated by conducting several simulations, proof-of-concept study, and field experiments. We expect that our novel approach can be applied in a variety of rescue, disaster, and emergency scenarios where quick and long-distance communications are needed. (c) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.